licence plate lights

[davidsw]

Just joined and a problem already!!!
w209 clk280 cabriolet 2006
Left number plate warning on dash .Bulb seems ok.the left hand bulb switches on for 1 sec and then off for 5 seconds and keeps doing this .Swapped bulb with right hand light and the problem stays with left hand side.Any ideas ?

Thanks
David

 

[Beno]

Did you manage to sort this out? I've just got similar symptoms, again its the left bulb. I've buzzed out the bulb which OK but when I checked the voltage on the terminals, I'm not seeing any voltage, does anyone have any ideas?

 

[davidsw]

No luck with mine..spoke to an indie and booked it in for Thursday for him to look at .He suspects a wiring fault from rear san unit.
​

 

[Beno]

Could you post up the results/fix cheers

 

[davidsw]

Will let you know the outcome

 

[cheffy]

I've had this fault show for some time, although warning does not come on all the time, I didnt actually check bulb until a few weeks ago when closing garage door, I noticed that both bulbs were working, although the warning was not on this time, I thought it was a bit strange !
Then warning was on again last w/e, but bulb was on ! I have taken it out put it back thinking it must be a connection problem ! but warning back on again.
This must be a W209 fault ? ! Also, a couple of weeks or so ago, I got warning that left brake light was out ! got mrs cheffy to check, but both were working !
Brake light warning never came on again - yet !
Strange

 

[Beno]

Any update? I stripped out the internal cover panel to check the wiring/connections turned on the lights and it just started working. So I'm none the wiser to what's causing it.

 

[davidsw]

Indy says rear sam unit is at fault as wiring from there to bulb is all ok . About £350 to replace and code!!!

 

[Beno]

Ouch!!!

 

[davidsw]

Rear fog light showing an error as well ..all sorted new sam fitted and everything working now .£400 ....

 

[mobeyone]

Rear fog light showing an error as well ..all sorted new sam fitted and everything working now .£400 ....

Your joking?

Was it simply not working at all? Mine does this too but ever since I have put in led bulbs.

 

[brucemillar]

Sidelights packed up on my C55. New front SAM £350

 

[John]

One concept I've known before on an E36 BMW - usually the brake light switch went but sometimes, it was the bulb.

Although the bulb was working, it had soot internally and a new bulb resolved for one particular instance I had.

I noticed when swapping my number plate ones out for KH's LED versions, they are both very sooty (so I suspect soon to blow).

 

[mobeyone]

Hmm, I know the bulbs I had in too were quite brown and these LEDs I have at the moment look haggard..

I'll swap them for a new pair and see how I get on.

What causes the Sam to fail? Another short cut by MB?

 

[Beno]

Sidelights packed up on my C55. New front SAM £350

Excuse my ignorance but what does SAM stand for?

 

[mobeyone]

Excuse my ignorance but what does SAM stand for?

Signal aquistion mode or something, I blew a front Sam on my C320 by disconnecting the battery.

 

[rascalmaster]

Your joking?

Was it simply not working at all? Mine does this too but ever since I have put in led bulbs.

interesting!!

one side of my festoon would intermittently stop working with LED's and i'd get the alarm on the dash... but since changing them back to normal bulbs; have been fine ?!

 

[mobeyone]

interesting!!

one side of my festoon would intermittently stop working with LED's and i'd get the alarm on the dash... but since changing them back to normal bulbs; have been fine ?!

Same as me!!! I've just put normal bulbs in and it's fine, I was told sometimes the bulbs need more power which can cause this but with normal bulbs they are fine.

I dread having to add the cost of a rear Sam... My wife's having kittens over me buying an mb again after last time!

 

[davidsw]

Signal Acquisition/Activation Module

or "Sha**ed at mercedes"

 

[mobeyone]

Signal Acquisition/Activation Module

or "Sha**ed at mercedes"

True!!